Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of tribal nations in Arizona and across the nation that are struggling to protect the health and welfare of their citizens. As Chairman of the Subcommittee for Indigenous Peoples of the U.S. last Congress, I heard from countless leaders about how this pandemic has impacted them. We heard their stories about the loss of elders, the challenges their children face trying to engage in distance learning without access to broadband internet, and the near total collapse of on-reservation economies that provide critical jobs for tribal members and funds for government services. While the CARES Act funding passed last year for Tribes was a lifeline, it was not nearly enough to address the disparate impact of this pandemic on Indigenous people and communities across the country. That is why I fought so hard to ensure that Tribes would not be short- changed in further COVID-19 relief efforts and why I am so proud that House and Senate Democratic leadership has approved the largest one- time investment in Native communities in our history. The American Rescue Plan includes more than $28 billion for tribal governments. This is a real, meaningful investment that will allow Native communities to respond to the wide-ranging effects of the virus on their communities and that will begin to address the shameful federal history of ignoring the needs of Native communities. The package specifically includes $20 billion in direct relief for Tribal governments.…”